Punjab’s gold medal winning athletes said that Punjab Sports Department’s true professional training, top class facilities during 12-day training camp and keen involvement of Punjab Minister for Sports Malik Faisal Ayub khokhar and Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry played a key role in Punjab contingent’s magnificent medal-winning performance in the recently organized 35th National Games at Karachi.
They said that Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry had a great role in Punjab contingent’s splendid performance in the National Games. “He personally visited Punjab’s all competition venues to boost athletes’ morale and confidence throughout the National Games”.
Punjab's top performing athletes expressed their determination to annex more success and medals in future national and international sports competitions under the patronization of Punjab Minister for Sports Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar and Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry.
Punjab’s gold medal winning athletes expressed these views while talking to the media at the National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.
It is pertinent to mention here that Punjab contingent clinched 126 medals including 16 gold medals, 38 silver and 72 bronze medals during the 8-day National Games. Punjab secured first position among all provinces and left many departments including HEC, PAF, Police and Railways behind in the medals race.
As per Sports Board Punjab’s policy, cash prize of Rs 5 lakh will be awarded to gold medal winning athletes, Rs 3 lakh to silver medalist and Rs 2 lakh will be given to bronze medalist athletes. The gold medal winners in the team event will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 8 lakh.
Punjab's Awais Hasan and Kulsoom Khan, who defeated veteran star Asim Qureshi and Sadia of Wapda in table tennis mixed doubles final match, said that Sports Board Punjab under the leadership of Director General Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry provided best facilities including all playing equipment to the members of Punjab contingent. “These facilities and encouragement proved vital and we managed to win the coveted gold medal for Punjab”.
Awais Hasan said that Sports Board Punjab has been taking effective measures for nurturing young talent from across the province. “Punjab’s Sports Endowment Fund is also a big source of encouragement for talented male and female athletes and that’s why they exhibited glorious performance in the National Games”.
Punjab’s Natasha Maqsood toppled HEC’s athlete in Epee category of fencing event to secure a gold medal. Besides this, she also bagged a bronze in the Foil category. Natasha’s teammate Nawal Nadeem also fetched a gold medal for Punjab in the Epee category.
Natasha said that there was tough competition in the National Games but our coaches motivated us a lot to deliver 100 per cent performance in the field and we fully obey their direction and won the gold medal.
Natasha also thanked Provincial Sports Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar and DG Sports Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry for providing best facilities during training camps.
Fencing gold medalist Nawal Nadeem said that after winning gold medal, Sports Board Punjab is going to award hefty cash prizes of lakhs of rupees to medal winners which would be a suitable reward and great encouragement for Punjab athletes.
Punjab’s Zaib Hasnain, who outplayed Army’s South Asian Games gold medalist athlete in -80kg wushu fight to bag gold medal, said that it is top class facilities and professional training imparted by Punjab’s coaches during training camps due to which we demonstrated excellent gold medal winning performance during the National Games. “It is also quite encouraging that the top performers of National Games are being enrolled in Punjab Sports Endowment Fund for scholarships”.
Punjab’s female wushu star Maryam Rafiq, who thrashed a Wapda’s player to clinch gold medal in -56kg category, also expressed gratitude to Sports Board Punjab and Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry for extending best facilities and rigorous training during camps which enable us to defeat our strong opponents during the National Games. "Punjab is going to become first province which will honour its medal winners in the National Games".
Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry said that Punjab athletes demonstrated excellent performance in National Games under the leadership of Provincial Sports Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar. "It is a great occasion when Punjab has left behind several leading departments on the medals table after 37 years".
Director General Sports and Youth Affairs Punjab Khizar Afzaal Chaudhry said that Punjab Sports Department is going to organize a grand function in the coming days for awarding cash prizes to its medal winners. "Sports Board Punjab will continue to encourage and honour its top performing athletes in future as well".